Boeing 787 Hits Another Snag, Dreamliner's Timeline of Pain (BA)

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) keeps having problems with its upcoming 787 Dreamliner.  The freshest news out is that a 787 Dreamliner caught fire on a test flight and was forced to make an emergency landing in Laredo, Texas on Tuesday.   Boeing has canceled more test flights until the company figures out what caused the fire.  The plane, originally scheduled for first delivery in May 2008, but has suffered eight delays and is now scheduled for delivery in February 2011. The plane did not make its first test flight until December 2009. Here’s a look at the history of the delays:

Delay Number 1 – September 2007
A three-month delay due to a parts shortage.

Delay Number 2 – October 2007
A three-month delay due to supply chain problems.

Delay Number 3 – January 2008
A three-month delay due to lack of progress on “traveled work”.

Delay Number 4 – April 2008
A delay on deliveries until the third quarter of 2009, 15 months behind schedule. The first test flight rescheduled to the fourth quarter of 2008.

Delay Number 5 – November 2008
A delay on the first flight until the fourth quarter of 2008 due to a machinist’s strike and other problems.

Delay Number 6 – December 2008
A delay on the first flight until the second quarter of 2009 due to parts supply problems.

Delay Number 7 – June 2009
A delay in the maiden flight due to a need to reinforce part of the aircraft’s body.

Delay Number 8 – July 2010
Delayed first delivery until early 2011 due to an explosion of one of the aircraft’s engines while on a test bed.

Delay Number 9 – Maybe- November 2010
Reports out that certain plane shipments may be delayed in 2011, although the company clarified the data and this may not be a technical delay.  Key… ‘maybe.’

Yesterday’s incident involved the second of the Dreamliners to be built, and the plane has made 179 test flights since December.  With all of the endless  problems that have been seen in the Dreamliner, can’t you just wait to get on one?

Boeing’s stock is down about 3% around $67.00 in early trading this morning.

Paul Ausick